Emerging network applications (e.g., Cloud services) require the need to dynamically adjust packet traffic performance (e.g., “resize” bandwidth) connections between network element end-points without impacting (or minimizing) the client traffic being transported over the connection. Given state of the art network element capabilities and internal components (e.g., hardware components such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs)), there are currently two primary techniques to attempt to address the dynamic adjustment of packet traffic performance problem. First, network elements (NEs) can provide a capability allowing a user to change a bandwidth profile in-service. Current realizable implementations require the existing bandwidth profile (e.g., BW-Profile1), associated with a packet connection to be “re-sized”, to be removed/deleted (thus impacting in-service traffic), and then a new First profile (e.g., BW-Profile2) to be added. This can be done, but the time taken to change the bandwidth profile affects traffic, given current implementation considerations. Second, NEs can include internal components that can support a sophisticated dynamic real-time bandwidth profile adjustment, while minimizing or nullifying the amount of in-service client traffic loss. In general, a typical switching device (especially those supported via current ASICs) is challenged to support such a sophisticated dynamic real-time bandwidth profile adjustment mechanism.
Thus, conventional techniques either result in a larger service traffic disruption, for NEs that require a bandwidth profile to be removed from a packet connection and then create a new BW profile and re-add it to the packet connection or require sophisticated dynamic bandwidth profile adjustment mechanisms, which are not typically supported in generally available ASICs. Consequently, a mechanism to adjust a packet connection bandwidth profile is required, without impacting or at least minimizing the in-service traffic impact (i.e., client traffic loss) is needed.